One bright morning, a fox named Finley was trotting through the fields, his nose twitching for adventure. He was so busy watching a fluffy cloud shaped like a giant carrot, he didn't see the old, deep well right in his path. Whoops! Down, down, down he tumbled, landing with a soft plop in a bit of muddy water at the bottom.

"Oh dear," Finley muttered, shaking his wet fur. The well walls were smooth and high. He jumped, he scrambled, but he couldn't reach the top. He was stuck!

After a while, Finley heard a "Baa!" from above. A thirsty goat named Gus was peering over the edge.
"Hello down there!" called Gus. "Is that water you're in? Is it good to drink? I'm ever so thirsty!"

Finley, quick as a wink, saw his chance. He put on his most cheerful voice. "Good? Oh, Gus, it's the most wonderful water I've ever tasted! So cool and refreshing. There's plenty down here. Why don't you come down and try some?"

Gus, whose throat felt like a dusty road, didn't stop to think. "Really? That sounds amazing!" And with a happy bleat, he leaped right into the well. KER-SPLASH!

Gus drank and drank. "You were right, Finley!" he said, wiping his beard. "That was delicious! But... um... how do we get out?"

Finley grinned. "Easy! You stand on your back legs and put your front hooves high up on the wall. I'll climb onto your back, then onto your horns, and jump out. Once I'm out, I can find a rope or something to help you."

"What a clever idea!" said Gus, who wasn't quite as clever as Finley. So, Gus stretched up tall against the well wall. Finley nimbly hopped onto Gus's back, then carefully stepped onto his long horns. With a big spring, Finley leaped out of the well and landed safely on the grass.

"Hooray!" bleated Gus from the bottom. "Now, can you help me, Finley?"

Finley shook the water from his tail and started to walk away. "Well, Gus," he called back, "if you had as much good sense in your head as you have hairs in your beard, you would have thought about how to get out *before* you jumped in!"

And with a flick of his tail, Finley trotted off, leaving poor Gus in the well, wishing he'd looked before he leaped.

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